Off The Ball Official Thread <Mod Note - Post #1, #533, #6651>

Ol' Donie

Where's Giles? Do they still do that on Thursday?

Ol' Donie

Jesus, yer man Donn is still on this? He must be on it ten years by now.

If his tips are any good, shouldn't he be an absolute squillionaire by now?

Tsipras

What's the story with the Paris roadshow?

http://www.newstalk.com/Newstalks-Off-the-Ball-Roadshow-is-headed-to-France-this-June

Reached capacity so it was cancelled - wtf?

Laurel_Patente

Ger Gilroy honestly thinks he's presenting Prime Time. An interview on Wednesday night with Marcel Desailly (a footballer let's not forget) and spends most of it talking about race and France's place in the world even when it was apparent that Desailly was a) uncomfortable with the subject and b) didn't have good enough English to express his points succinctly.

Gilroy was hoiked off the Breakfast Show with Clare Byrne a few years back and he seems to take any opportunity to try and get back to current affairs. If he wants to do sport broadcasting, let him, but don't let him air liberal opinions for the best part of three hours.

ButtersSuki

PeterTheEighth wrote: »

Yeah, I was a bit worried about tuning in after the Alex Ferguson bootlick-fest the other week. But last night's show was very entertaining. Ger did well to bring Desailly back in to the conversation when he may have been struggling with the other's accents and the language.

Was very interesting to hear Souness' stories about Alex Ferguson.

What was Souness saying? I'd imagine it wasn't as nice as the Rory/Nesbitt/Ferguson circle jerk?

ButtersSuki

I didn't catch the name of the guy who talked briefly about basketball yesterday and I can't be arsed listening back but he got his facts wrong repeatedly and engaged in some ott sensationalism that made me want to text in with rebuttals but for the fact that I was driving. I moved the dial instead.

Also, what exactly does David Brady bring to the table apart from GAA analysis? He was so naive yesterday talking about drugs in sport and I really hate this BS attitude from GAA people that it would never happen in their sport.

Dirty Dingus McGee

ButtersSuki wrote: »

I didn't catch the name of the guy who talked briefly about basketball yesterday and I can't be arsed listening back but he got his facts wrong repeatedly and engaged in some ott sensationalism that made me want to text in with rebuttals but for the fact that I was driving. I moved the dial instead.

Also, what exactly does David Brady bring to the table apart from GAA analysis? He was so naive yesterday talking about drugs in sport and I really hate this BS attitude from GAA people that it would never happen in their sport.

I think most people in the GAA are well aware it could happen in the GAA. Players are getting tested these days so players, administrators and media are aware of the potential for an issue.

I have no doubt there are some players taking stuff they shouldn't but what would be extremely difficult to occur (and more difficult than pretty much any other sport) is systematic doping as it would be impossible to keep quiet as nobody is being paid any money and so they'd have no incentive to keep their mouth shut.

ghostdancer

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Also, what exactly does David Brady bring to the table apart from GAA analysis? He was so naive yesterday talking about drugs in sport and I really hate this BS attitude from GAA people that it would never happen in their sport.

i thought that was hilarious. he just couldn't accept or even comprehend that any GAA player would have any reason to take PEDs because it wouldn't help them in GAA sports.

ButtersSuki

ghostdancer wrote: »

i thought that was hilarious. he just couldn't accept or even comprehend that any GAA player would have any reason to take PEDs because it wouldn't help them in GAA sports.

Not the sharpest tool in the box I think it's fair to say.

ButtersSuki

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I think most people in the GAA are well aware it could happen in the GAA. Players are getting tested these days so players, administrators and media are aware of the potential for an issue.

I have no doubt there are some players taking stuff they shouldn't but what would be extremely difficult to occur (and more difficult than pretty much any other sport) is systematic doping as it would be impossible to keep quiet as nobody is being paid any money and so they'd have no incentive to keep their mouth shut.

Yes, but given the "shenanigans" aroubd a recent Dublin GAA match and post match testing (there's a thread on it) it would seem Brady's not the only one who thinks as he does on this subject.

PeterTheEighth

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Yes, but given the "shenanigans" aroubd a recent Dublin GAA match and post match testing (there's a thread on it) it would seem Brady's not the only one who thinks as he does on this subject.

Give us a link to that thread will ya Butters.

ButtersSuki

PeterTheEighth wrote: »

Give us a link to that thread will ya Butters.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=99511587

WARNING: some truly bizarre comments and logic contained within.

ButtersSuki

ghostdancer wrote: »

i thought that was hilarious. he just couldn't accept or even comprehend that any GAA player would have any reason to take PEDs because it wouldn't help them in GAA sports.

It was truly bizarre. It was like he had no understanding of what PEDs do. He seemed to think that individuals wouldn't do it because it was a team sport. And he kept saying things like "PEDs won't help you kick points" or "kick points off your weak foot" - completely missing the point of course and remaining largely unchallenged on his comments. It was pub talk at best.

PeterTheEighth

ButtersSuki wrote: »

WARNING: some truly bizarre comments and logic contained within.

Ah hold on a minute, that doesnt sound like boards.ie

ButtersSuki

PeterTheEighth wrote: »

Ah hold on a minute, that doesnt sound like boards.ie

That got a lol AND a wry smirk from me Peter. As your hero of broadcasting would say "Well done! Well done!"

Say Your Number

I heard Kevin Keegan being interviewed by the Second Captains recently and he making the exact same points as Brady when it comes to PED's being taken in Soccer.

Ol' Donie

Is there an actual show tonight or a Bank Holiday best bits filler-a-thon?

Say Your Number

Ol' Donie wrote: »

Is there an actual show tonight or a Bank Holiday best bits filler-a-thon?

Probably a 'Best Of' job, although Moncrieff was live for 2 hours today, given a bit happened over the weekend they might do an hour of live stuff.

Dirty Dingus McGee

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Yes, but given the "shenanigans" aroubd a recent Dublin GAA match and post match testing (there's a thread on it) it would seem Brady's not the only one who thinks as he does on this subject.

The player in fairness only wanted to go and watch the festivities on the pitch after a game and not be hauled off for a test straight away.I don't think anyone was trying to dodge anything in that instance and the testers probably should have taken that into consideration before the tests were scheduled.

It would be interesting to get an age breakdown regarding reactions to drug testing in GAA and denial that it could exist.I suspect the younger generation have a more cynical view and are perfectly willing to accept it could happen whereas older GAA fans may not consider such a possibility.

snotboogie

Laurel_Patente wrote: »

Ger Gilroy honestly thinks he's presenting Prime Time. An interview on Wednesday night with Marcel Desailly (a footballer let's not forget) and spends most of it talking about race and France's place in the world even when it was apparent that Desailly was a) uncomfortable with the subject and b) didn't have good enough English to express his points succinctly.

Gilroy was hoiked off the Breakfast Show with Clare Byrne a few years back and he seems to take any opportunity to try and get back to current affairs. If he wants to do sport broadcasting, let him, but don't let him air liberal opinions for the best part of three hours.

I'm not sure, I heard him on an Irishman abroad and he seemed genuinely over current affairs and happier in sport. Ger is certainly of his generation of Irish journalists though, where every single one of them under 45 have the exact same political leanings and range from oblivious to contemptuous of any other points of view. Second Captains are worse

ButtersSuki

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

The player in fairness only wanted to go and watch the festivities on the pitch after a game and not be hauled off for a test straight away.I don't think anyone was trying to dodge anything in that instance and the testers probably should have taken that into consideration before the tests were scheduled.

Can you not see how ridiculous that sounds?

splendid101

Producer Mick leaves for Balls.ie
Presenter Colm leaves for Joe.ie

what's next....

Ger Gilroy going to Buzzfeed?

Dirty Dingus McGee

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Can you not see how ridiculous that sounds?

Ridiculous in what way.They didn't want to get tested immediately after the game in order to watch the show and it turns out the head of the anti doping unit said it could have been arranged so the players could have watched the show.


http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/players-should-not-have-missed-croker-laochra-show-because-of-drug-tests-sports-council-34659269.html

PeterTheEighth

splendid101 wrote: »

Producer Mick leaves for Balls.ie
Presenter Colm leaves for Joe.ie

Are we sure that he's gone completely from Off The Ball. I'll miss him on it, he's a good colour presenter. For him though I'm guessing that he will never be taken seriously as a journalist while he's chasing McGeeney around the pitch with his headphones on.

Rojiblancos

Has anybody got spare tickets to the off the ball show in paris on june 12th? Not very hopeful but on the off chance someone does I'll ask

brick tamland

splendid101 wrote: »

Producer Mick leaves for Balls.ie
Presenter Colm leaves for Joe.ie

what's next....

Ger Gilroy going to Buzzfeed?

Donnie Mahoney went to balls.ie a while ago too. Can only guess these click bait sites are paying more than newstalk

Ol' Donie

Is Colm Parkinson outta there?

ballsymchugh

Ol' Donie wrote:

Is Colm Parkinson outta there?

Yeah. He tweeted it earlier.

styron

brick tamland wrote: »

Donnie Mahoney went to balls.ie a while ago too. Can only guess these click bait sites are paying more than newstalk

The Donald & Gilroy are two of the 2010 founding fathers of the balls.ie empire ... Donnie's headed back from whence he came - drafted in behind the scenes on OTB when it all blew up. The Tuesday slot must be partial compensation for the redundancy.

It's both impressive and sad the balls site can provide a living for ex-producer Mick too. You'd wonder if Denis was a bit of a white knight with some funding - it's helping to pare down Newstalk staff and payroll for sure.

foxtrot101

ballsymchugh wrote: »

Yeah. He tweeted it earlier.

Strange timing, weren't they all heading off to Paris on Friday?